- The weather outside is frightful… Jan 19
- Green getaways Jan 17
- Eating well all winter… Jan 15
- Warm on the inside Dec 09
- Give the Gift of Green Gadgets Nov 14
- See all posts
Toys
Choose organic cotton toys
Gaiam Organic Cotton Stuffed Animals
Cute bear or puppy stuffed animals are made from 100 percent organic cotton and low eco-impact dyes. Eyes and noses are embroidered so you don't have to worry about young ones choking. Animals are machine washable so you can keep them clean.Miyim Organic Stuffed Animals
Various adorable organic cotton animals, including bunnies, monkeys, bears, ponies, chickens, and even elephants. Each toy is lovingly made with natural cotton and nontoxic dyes.Nature's Crib Organic Cotton Dolls
These organic toy dolls (choose from a bear, monkey, or puppy) are made with 100 percent organic cotton and dyed with all natural plant dyes and minerals.Nature's Fibres toys
The UK-based company was formed with a desire to improve the quality of organic clothes and toys for children. Their stuffed animal toys are made with organic cotton and include teddy bears, snowman, frog, puppet, and a Nicholaus doll.Pure Home plush toys
Large selection of plush toys all made with organic cotton including organic veggie toys, teething rings, and a funky line of Lana Organic dragon, donkey, goose, and pink pig.Pure Organics plush toys
Choose from monkey, lamb, and teddy bear stuffed animal and hand puppets made of 100 percent organic cotton in earth tones.
Choose toys made from sustainable wood
Hazelnut Kids Wooden toys
HazelNut Kids carries a wide range of wooden toys from musical instruments, doll houses, and puzzles to baby toys and more. All their wooden toys are finished with non-toxic finishes and paints, beeswax, or natural oils.Island Treasure Toys
This family-run business, begun in Maine in 2001, focuses on natural and Waldorf-inspired toys that let a children's imagination soar. They offer a large selection of high quality, natural wooden toys.Mother Nature's Baby Store
This store in Portland, Oregon carries a selection of German-made wooden toys and teethers for babies.Pristine Planet
Pristine Planet brings together a number of manufacturers of natural wooden puzzles, blocks, pull-along toys, dollhouses, and rockers.
Choose battery-free and non-electronic toys
Chinaberry Battery-free toys
This company focuses on books but has an expanding line of inventive toys and crafts that are enjoyable for kids and adults.Retro Toys Battery-free toys
This company brings back reproductions of some of the favorite toys of the '50s, '60s, and '70s for kids of any age to play with.Sportsman's Guide Outdoor toys
Toys designed to get kids outside and having fun are what you'll find here—including a recycled tire motorcycle swing, Jumbo Giga Ball, and lots of tents.
Choose toys made from recycled materials
eco-artware sweater stuffed animals
Penguins, mermaids, piglets, warthogs, baby bears and more are all made from recycled sweaters and other reclaimed products.Indigo Recycled Plastic Mice
Indigo, a Philadelphia-based store, was founded more than 20 years ago by two people who wanted to share the gems of folk art they had found in their extensive travels. These colorful, small toy mice (5" to 7"l. x 3" h.) made from recycled plastic bags and wire come from South Africa.Master Piece puzzles
Master Piece makes high quality puzzles constructed of thick puzzle board made of recycled materials. This puzzle is called Puppy Hay Day; it's 750 pieces and is designed for kids 11 years old and up.Play Mart Playgrounds
If you’ve got big dreams of your little ones playing in the backyard this summer, look into some eco-friendly playground equipment. These systems are made with recycled structural plastic and come with a 100-year warranty! They’ve got jungle gyms, tricycles, sand boxes, and playhouses, and they’ll even take back any used Play Mart systems to be re-recycled!Radio Flyer Earth Wagon
This is not your parent's Radio Flyer Wagon. The wagon's body is made from 100 percent recycled post-consumer HDPE to the tune of more than 230 milk jugs diverted from landfills to make each Earth Wagon. An advantage of the 100 percent recycled plastic is that it will not rot, split, or need painting. Simple assembly required.Recycled Jewish Holiday Crayons
Pick up a set of these 100 percent recycled crayons that come in a unique rainbow of colors. Their shapes include a Hanukkah Menorah, Dreidel, Star of David, Torah, Shofar, and Ten Commandments.Rustic Triumphs auto parts chess set
Artist Armando Ramirez transforms scrap metal into a unique, modern black and silver chess set. He forms leftover metal pieces from a die machine into the pawns, horses, and parts of the kings, which also contain cogs from a car's electrical system. Screws, cogs, bearings, sparkplugs, cogwheels, and bendix caps from a car's electrical system are his raw material for the rest of the pieces.Shyness and Bloom recycled sweater bunnies
Handmade from recycled angora sweaters, or some other soft yarn, Shyness and Bloom offers a number of sweet-looking shy bunnies that could become a child's can't-go-to-sleep-without favorite toy.
Choose toys made from natural fibers
A Toy Garden SweetPea Baby
These gender-neutral baby dolls are made from either organic bamboo velour or organic cotton, and are stuffed with wool and millet. They are handmade by a "sew-at-home mom".Green Toy Company Cozzy & Zmooz Comforters
These soft baby toys are made to cuddle, rattle, and chew. They contain pure wool stuffed inside of 100 percent organic cotton, and the heads are made of sustainable wood. The toys are unpainted, leaving a blank face that your child can imagine matches his or her many moods.Haba Hemp Carrot Jump Rope
For the big siblings, check out this jump rope made of pure hemp, with natural wood handles and finished with nontoxic paints and lacquers.HaPe Bamboo Collection
HaPe presents the world's first collection of bamboo toys with their line of imaginative games, stackers, and race cars. All toys are made of rapidly renewable bamboo and are finished with water-based paint.Kenana Knitter Critters
These loveable stuffed animals are made with home-spun wool, dyed with natural plant dye, and hand-knitted with love by a group of Kenyan women. The company provides jobs and medical care, and is even building a school in Kenya.Let’s Paint the Pond Pak
Get your kids creating art and music with this unique musical instrument-meets-paint-set gift. Comes with creature-shaped (fish, butterfly, cricket, and frog) drums and scrapers that can be painted with kid-safe colors. They’re fair trade, so your purchase supports sustainable local economies, too.
Choose used or secondhand items
craigslist
Peruse the free online classified ads (search in your own geographic region or anywhere) for just about anything you can name.Freecycle USA
Post items you want to give away for free or get free items from others with this no-charge online membership organization.Freecycle Canada
Like its American counterpart, this online Canadian community lets you post items to give away or find treasures from others.FurnitureTrader.com
Buy and sell used and new furniture online. There is a small fee for listing on this site, but it'll give you exposure to millions of buyers nationwide.Goodwill Industries International, Inc. (various locations)
Goodwill sells donated goods in more than 2,000 retail stores. As of 2006, Goodwill stores had sold more than 2 million items received from more than 58 million donors.Once Upon a Child
Sells new and used children's clothes, furniture, and more at their stores located throughout the US and Canada. You can even take your secondhand items to sell on consignment.Plato's Closet
With franchises across the US and Canada, these exchange stores specialize in clothing alluring to teens, twenty-something's, and aging fashionistas.Used Furniture Findex
Buy and sell used furniture online from near to home or far and wide. They offer new and used listings and even provide a service directory.
Comments
8:48am
I agree with you on all the 8 ways. These are the best ways to protect our environment! Thank you for enlightening me on this concept.